Many different types of events involve large crowds and long distances. For instance, in a typical year, Mecca in Saudi Arabia receives over one million visitors from all over the world, when those visitors come to visit the Kaaba during the Islamic pilgrimage known as Hajj. For another example, in 2010, Haiti was hit by a catastrophic earthquake measuring 7.0 on the moment magnitude scale. The earthquake left hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Disaster response teams in Haiti were tasked with helping homeless victims of the earthquake in Port-au-Prince and many other towns and settlements to find basic necessities like food and shelter. Other examples of events involving large crowds and long distances include other types of religious gatherings, sporting events, political events, famine relief efforts, and many other types of events or activities.
Crowd assistance service is one of the main challenges faced by authorities overseeing these kinds of events. For example, during the period of Hajj, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims share the same resources, follow the same routes, and occupy the same locations. One of the big challenges for the authorities is how to control the crowd and ensure a smooth and safe flow without congestion, as congestion may lead to life threatening situations, including stampedes. Traditional manual crowd management methods consume a lot of effort and in many cases result in delays in delivered services. Therefore, an urgent need exists for innovative ideas and solutions using technology to help provide assistance services for large crowds.